HAPPY THURSDAY, THUNDERBIRDS! 2/10/2022
Have an announcement or other great news to share? Please submit your info to the school the week prior to when you’d like to see it in this newsletter.
Reminders
To condense the length of our E-folder, some important news has been moved to a page of its own.
- Please find out about meals and snacks at THES Meals
- You can find our COVID guidelines and testing sites at COVID Updates
School Closed Friday
Due to changes in the district calendar, there will be No school for staff or students on Friday, February 11th. Have a nice weekend!
I ❤️ THES
Thunderbirds! It’s that time of year. Love is in the air and it’s a great time to show your Travis Heights Elementary PTA, staff, and students just how much you love them! It’s I Heart THES Week!
Please take a moment and give anything you can to support your PTA and all they do for the school. Here are just a few things PTA has done in the last couple of years:
- Air Filters for every classroom, and replacement filters this year and for the future.
- PBL (Project Based Learning) Training for one teacher from EVERY grade level (has only been 2-3 teachers total in the past)
- Picnic Tables so kiddos can eat lunch more safely outdoors.
These three things alone were over $28,000. There is no way we could do that without your support. There are also all the reimbursements we make to teachers for supplies they need but the district doesn’t supply.
In normal times, we would be standing outside at drop off and pick up asking for funds, but with all that’s still going on, we ask that you simply CLICK HERE to make your easy, tax free donation of ANY AMOUNT. All we ask is that you do what you can do.
Thanks in advance for any support you can show your PTA. All our funds go to directly support our Thunderbirds and our fantastic staff, so giving to us is giving to them.
Merrideth Jiles
THES PTA President
Get involved in your THES PTA
We have had a recent flurry in interest from parents that are ready to get involved with their THES PTA! I can’t begin to tell you how great this is for the school and all our Thunderbirds. To try and get as much info out as quickly as possible, we will be hosting a couple of meetings next week to discuss what YOU can do for PTA and answer all your questions. We have several opportunities and they require different skills, so join us and find out where you can fit in. These meetings will be happening next week on Wednesday 2/16 at 5pm and Thursday 2/17 at 4pm. We plan on covering the same material at each meeting, but feel free to join both. Most of the session will be Q&A.
The Zoom link is the same for both meetings :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9563141628?pwd=RCt0TUhHRjRyb0R4TFRJOXkzREp3dz09
Meeting ID: 956 314 1628
Passcode: 143086
Your Travis Heights Elementary PTA needs you and this is a great way to learn how you can really get involved.
100th Day Celebrations
On January 28th our school celebrated the 100th day of school! Students across grade levels participated in different activities teachers planned.
First grade students and teachers dressed up as 100 year olds rocking canes, wigs, and pearls!
All first graders gathered in the library for a read-a-thon! The challenge was to read 100 books in 1 hour on the 100th day of school?!!!! First graders partnered up to read with a fourth grader from Mr. Cuellar or Ms. Alvarez-Sims class.
Ms. Reeser’s class video conferenced with a 100 year old pilot! And PK made 100 day hats and counted different items to 100.
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Peace March
On Tuesday, February 8th, our Thunderbirds participated in a school wide Peace March as part of the counseling program’s No Place For Hate initiative. Some of our classrooms created beautiful signs to promote peace, love, and kindness. We chanted “1. 2. 3. Peace Begins With Me” and “We want peace here and there, we want peace everywhere”. The students enjoyed taking a stand for a more peaceful world, starting right here in the Travis Heights community.
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Class Picture Day Rescheduled – February 24, 2022
THES Counselor Appreciation Week: Feb. 14-18
Next week, we will be celebrating our amazing counselors Ms. Raquel Brown and Ms. Gloria Cano! Thank our Travis Heights counselors for all the special support they provide for all our students and staff on campus and show them some !
Mindfulness Garden
We are proud to announce the launch of our second DonorsChoose site which will allow us to create a mindful pathway on the campus grounds.
A Mindful Path.
Give to our students by February 11 and your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose. Just enter the code LIFTOFF on the payment page and you’ll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $50).
If you chip in to help, we’ll be incredibly grateful.
Join the Austin ISD Team as a Substitute
Start changing the game for students on your own terms. We’re looking for dedicated educators who can adapt to fit the diverse and shifting needs of our students in both long-term and day-to-day roles. If your preference is to work at THES you are able to select the campus you would like to serve. We offer:
- Flexible work environments. You work on your schedule.
- Professional Learning tailored for our substitutes’ growth and development.
- Hands-on experience and networking in some of the best schools in the nation.
The 2021-22 Substitute Application is now open!
Submit your application and be a part of our growing, innovative team
Bell Schedule & Tardies
THES Families! This is a reminder that school starts and the tardy bell rings at 7:40am. Staff will be on duty at each grade level door for students being dropped off until 7:40am. Any student who arrives after 7:41 am will be marked as tardy. Thank you for getting your students here on time so they can get the absolute most out of each and every instructional day!
Excused Absences during Quarantine
If your child is in quarantine due to COVID, know these absences will be excused. You might be receiving the automated calls and emails from the district because the excused absences must be entered manually. We ask for your patience as we process these absences due to COVID.
Meet Our New Volunteer Coordinators
Interested in volunteering to be a lunch monitor? Or would you rather help with making copies or decorating bulletin boards? If you want to help, we have plenty that needs to be done!
If interested, please follow the process for becoming a Travis Heights Elementary Volunteer by following this link https://www.travisheightselementary.com/volunteering/.
Our new volunteer coordinators Anna Roth, anna.m.roth@gmail.com ,and Sura Jasim (Parent Support Specialist), sura.jasim@austinisd.org, will be in touch with you.
Travis Heights Heights Elementary Official Facebook Page!
https://www.facebook.com/TravisHeightsES
Check here for the latest updates and parent resources.
Fill The Staff Pantry
What helps the day go better… How about a little pick me up for staff? We would like to work toward filling the empty pantry in the lounge with some quick grabs to help keep the energy up throughout the day. Other than a few goldfish in the classroom, our teaching team does not have access to healthy snacks or the ability to go off campus when the need presents. Let’s help out by providing some nutritious and delicious items that staff can enjoy while keeping the day going.
Drop-off items in the marked box at the main entrance.
Individually-wrapped items preferred. Healthy snack and drink ideas:
| Nuts | Trail mix | Microwave popcorn |
| Dried fruit | Protein & granola bars | Cup soup |
| Instant oatmeal | Sparkling water | Coffee (grounds or cold brew cans) |
| Chips | Chocolate (Of course!) | Creamer, sugar, sugar substitutes (stevia, etc.) |
| Sugar free candy | Canned soups, chili, etc. | Beef jerky |
Plan Proposed to Close Woodland Avenue at I-35
Attention THES families! TxDOT released updated plans for the I-35 Capital Express project. Three options are being proposed and the community is being asked for feedback. You can find more info on their website:
https://my35capex.com/projects/i-35-capital-express-central/
Please stay tuned for opportunities to provide your feedback on this plan to TxDOT.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Monday, February 21
This year, our parent conference days in the Spring is February 21. There will be no school for students on this day.
Teachers are reaching out to parents to communicate and schedule conferences with all homeroom students. There will be no school for students on Monday, February 21st. Every child’s parent will be offered a face-to-face conference. However, if a phone call or Zoom is more convenient please communicate this with the teacher to best meet your needs.
Time to register your returning students!
RETURNING STUDENTS: For families registering students returning to Austin ISD, a Parent Portal account must be created before you can access the online registration system. To create a Parent Portal account, visit portal.austinisd.org.
Note: Only parent/guardian contacts are able to use the online registration system. If you have any questions or need assistance with Parent Portal or online registration, please contact your student’s campus or call the Family Support Line at 512-414-9187.
*All returning students who have had a recent change of address should submit proof of residency to the campus when returning to school in August. Please note that additional documentation may be requested by the campus in order to complete enrollment if those documents are not attached electronically during this online registration process. *
NEW STUDENTS: For families registering students new to AISD, a Parent Portal account must be created before you can access the online registration system. To create a Parent Portal account, visit portal.austinisd.org.
Note: Only parent/guardian contacts are able to use the online registration system. If you have any questions or need assistance with Parent Portal or Online Registration, please contact your student’s campus or call the Family Support Line at 512-414-9187.
Families registering students new to AISD will need to provide the following documentation at the child’s campus:
Child’s birth certificate- Child’s social security card (optional)
- Child’s immunization records
- Child’s withdrawal form/last report card (if applicable)
- Parent/guardian photo ID
- Proof of guardianship (if applicable)
- Proof of residency
*All students new to AISD must submit proof of residency to the campus when starting school in August. Please note that additional documentation may be requested by the campus in order to complete enrollment if those documents are not attached electronically during this online registration process.*
AISD CARES: Exceptional Customer Service & Equitable Experiences
AISD is committed to providing equitable and exceptional experiences for our customers: our students, our families, our colleagues, and our community members. For us, customer service is more than just providing answers or offering support; customer service is what makes our large district feel like a family. AISD CARES strives to build transformational relationships that lead to an authentic sense of trust and belonging within our entire AISD community.
Let’s Talk Communication Platform
Austin ISD is committed to connecting with students, families, staff and community members to provide exceptional and equitable experiences.
Let’s Talk is an online tool that takes your questions and feedback and sends it directly to the appropriate staff members for follow up.
Shout out to your Travis Heights Team!
Did one of our own deliver for YOU? Teacher and Employee well-being is essential to our overall success as a school. The benefits of expressing gratitude and recognizing staff are limitless. Please join us in prioritizing our RAVE Employee Recognition program!
What is a RAVE?
The RAVE (Recognizing All Valuable Employees) program helps us honor our AISD team who take the extra steps to provide equitable and exceptional experiences for our students, families, staff, and community members.
Submit a digital Rave online! The District shares all positive Rave submissions with each employee and their Principal or Supervisor. Please spread the word about Raves with your community.
Up & Coming
February
11 No School
21 Parent-Teacher Conferences
24 Class Pictures
March
4 No School
14 Spring Break begins!
For district-wide events you can view the AISD calendar here: https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/calendar/Calendar_2021-2022v3.pdf